Switching User in W10 doesn't work as expected

dogfonos · 09 Apr 2020

Would appreciate guidance on this issue...

Maybe I misunderstand what switching user implies, but in Windows 7, User 1 could setup Deezer (in Google Chrome) to stream music then User 2 could switch to their account whilst Deezer - on the User 1 account - continued to stream music.

I've followed the tenforums tutorial but can't make this happen in W10 (version 1909). Music streaming stops. Have I misunderstood something? Thanks.

Garyw · 10 Apr 2020

Windows 7 had " Switch User" and "Log off". Windows 10 just has "Sign out" which functions similarly to "Log off". AFIK the switch user option from W7 does not have an equivalent in W10.

The Classic Shell substitute for W10 Start menu has both Switch User" and "Log off". Haven't had a chance to test them though.

Bree · 10 Apr 2020

Garyw said:

AFIK the switch user option from W7 does not have an equivalent in W10....

Not true. Click Start then click on your user icon. All available accounts will be listed, click on one to switch to it without signing out of the first account (Option One), or use Alt+F4 from the desktop (Option Three in this tutorial).

Switch User in Windows 10

Bree · 10 Apr 2020

dogfonos said:

Maybe I misunderstand what switching user implies, but in Windows 7, User 1 could setup Deezer (in Google Chrome) to stream music then User 2 could switch to their account whilst Deezer - on the User 1 account - continued to stream music...

I have a W7 machine and W10. I don't have Deezer, but BBC radio 2 is as good a tests as any. Yes, I can confirm that in W7, User1's audio streaming continues to be heard after switching into User2's account. In W10 when switching the music continues up to the sign in screen, but stops as soon as you sign in and get User2's desktop.

Switching to User2 certainly allows User1's processes to continue, I've done just that and left tasks such as video processing running in User1's account. I can see in Task Manager that the are still active, so it's not down to User1 being suspended while you switch.

This must be down to a difference in W7 and W10's handling of access the sound device. I haven't (yet) found any differences to explain this, both the W7 and W10 machine appear to have identical sound settings.

Edit: apparently this change in behaviour was introduced in Windows 8.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible it’s default by design in Windows 8 when you switch to another user account the sound will be disabled by default on the current user account...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...a-b142d6be1f49

Garyw · 10 Apr 2020

Bree said:

Not true. Click Start then click on your user icon. All available accounts will be listed, click on one to switch to it without signing out of the first account (Option One), or use Alt+F4 from the desktop (Option Three in this tutorial).

Switch User in Windows 10

Thanks. That's what I like about this forum. This saves time also.

dogfonos · 11 Apr 2020

Bree said:

Edit: apparently this change in behaviour was introduced in Windows 8.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...a-b142d6be1f49

Sadly, this doesn't surprise me. For the way I use my PC, the list of inconveniences introduced by W10 grows ever longer. Can't wait to switch back to W7 after lockdown (too risky to do so now as I know it won't go smoothly). Many thanks to you both for your inputs.